Exam Countdown
Set a free exam countdown in seconds: enter your exam name, date and start time to see a live timer with the days, hours and minutes left, plus weeks and study days remaining. Share the countdown as a link, add the exam to your calendar and turn it into a study plan.
Pick your exam date to start the countdown.
Weeks left
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Study days
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excluding exam day
Practice tests
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one per week suggested
Hours at 1h/day
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How to Use the Exam Countdown Timer Online
Enter your exam date and the exam countdown timer starts at once. The name and start time are optional, but they make the countdown and the shared link easier to recognize.
- Type the exam name, for example SAT or NCLEX-RN.
- Pick the exam date. Dates in the past cannot be selected.
- Set the start time. It defaults to 8:00 a.m. if you leave it.
- Watch the live timer and the weeks, study days, practice tests and hours below it.
- Copy the shareable link, add the exam to your calendar or open the study planner.
Set Your Exam Date Countdown
Your exam date countdown is saved in the page address as you type, for example with exam, date and time values at the end of the URL. Bookmark the page or press “Copy Shareable Link” and the same countdown opens on any device. Nothing is stored on our servers.
Exam Countdown Calculator for Several Tests
The tool counts down to one exam at a time. To use it as an exam countdown calculator for several tests, set up each exam, copy its link and save the links as bookmarks or in your notes. Each link opens its own countdown, so you can check your SAT and ACT test dates side by side.
How the Exam Countdown Online Is Calculated
The live timer counts down to the exact date and start time you enter, in your device’s local time. When it reaches zero, the heading changes to say your exam has started. The figures below the timer are based on whole calendar days.
Countdown Until Exam in Days, Weeks and Study Days
| Figure | How it is worked out |
|---|---|
| Days (timer) | Full days left until the exam start time |
| Weeks left | Calendar days from today to exam date, divided by 7, to one decimal place |
| Study days | Calendar days left minus 1, so exam day is not counted |
| Practice tests | One per full week left, with a minimum of one |
| Hours at 1h/day | One hour for each study day |
Today is not counted, so an exam tomorrow shows one day left and no full study days. The practice-test figure is a suggestion of one timed test a week, not a requirement. If you are unsure whether your time is enough, read how long should I study for a test.
Exam Countdown Timer for Test Day
A visible exam countdown timer turns a vague date into a concrete number of study days. Seeing “23 study days” makes it easier to decide what to do today, and the weekly practice-test count gives you a rhythm for checking progress.
Exam Countdown App and Widget
You do not need an exam countdown app. The countdown works in any modern browser on a phone, tablet or computer, including as an exam countdown for desktop or PC. On a phone, open your link and use your browser’s “Add to Home Screen” option to get a widget-like shortcut that opens straight to your timer.
Exam Day Countdown App Reminders
“Add to Calendar (.ics)” downloads a calendar file for your exam, starting at the time you entered and lasting three hours. Open it with Google Calendar, Apple Calendar or Outlook, then set reminders there, for example one week and one day before. That gives you exam day countdown app reminders without installing anything.
Exam Countdown and Study Planner
The exam countdown tells you how much time is left, and the study planner tells you what to do with it. Press “Build a Study Plan” under the timer to open the planner, enter the same exam date and get a week-by-week schedule with practice-test weeks.
Exam Countdown Planner Milestones
Use the countdown to set simple milestones:
- With 8 or more weeks left, work through topics and take a baseline practice test.
- With 4 weeks left, switch to mixed review and one timed test a week.
- With 1 week left, review with flashcards and take a final practice test.
- On the last day, rest and prepare your documents and route to the test center.
Pick a test from our free practice tests for your weekly checks. For a full preparation routine, see how to prepare for exam, and for exam-specific dates and fees see the SAT test and ASVAB test guides.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Exam Countdown Free?
Yes, the exam countdown is completely free, with no account, app or download. It runs in your browser, and your countdown lives in the page link, so you can bookmark it or share it as often as you like. The calendar file and the study planner it links to are free as well.
Do You Count Today in a Countdown?
No, this countdown does not count today. The day figure is the number of calendar days from today's date to your exam date, so an exam tomorrow shows 1 day. The live timer counts down to the exact start time you enter, and study days leave out exam day itself.
Do You Give an Exam or Take an Exam?
In US English you take an exam, and a teacher or testing body gives it. Saying you will give an exam is common in Indian and some other varieties of English, but American readers will understand it to mean you are setting or administering the test.
What Is a Study Planner?
A study planner is a schedule that divides the topics you need to learn across the time you have before an exam. A good one sets weekly goals, includes review time and builds in full practice tests, so you can see whether you are on track before exam day.
How Do You Make a Study Planner?
Start from your exam date and count the weeks you have. List the topics, weakest first, decide how many hours a week you can study and spread the topics across the early weeks. Keep the last week or two for mixed review and timed practice tests. Our study planner does all of this automatically.